Lula Washington Dance Theatre (LWDT) will host a Studio Concert this weekend to showcase new works in progress and to cultivate audiences with a love for contemporary dance. LWDT will present choreography by Lula Washington, Tamica Washington-Miller, Rennie Harris, Christopher Huggins, Bernard Brown, Chester Whitmore, and others.

The performances are set for Saturday, April 27 at 7:30 pm; and Sunday, April 28 at 3 pm at the Lula Washington Dance Theatre Studio, 3773 Crenshaw Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90016. Choreographer Lula Washington will preview an untitled work-in-progress performed to music by Marcus L. Miller and his Freedom Jazz Movement quartet. Alto sax player Bobby Bryant will be featured in the performance. Lula and Marcus have collaborated many times on works that combine jazz and dance with exhilarating theatricality, and powerful thematic ideas.

LWDT dancer Bernard Brown is choreographing a new work to the sounds of Jon Deshler on trumpet and Doug McBeath on upright base. They will play tunes from composers Hampton Halls, Wayne Shorter and Billy Strayhorn.

The dance and music will be accompanied by projections of classic Jazz photography by Deshler to create a multimedia experience incorporating photographic art with the music and dance. LWDT Associate Director Tamica Washington-Miller will also showcase a new work in progress and she will present excerpts from her popular work, “Beautiful Venus and Serena”. The cast will include members of LWDT’s newly formed Apprentice Ensemble. “The idea is to give up and coming young dancers the chance to do roles that would normally be done by members of the LWDT professional company,” explained Tamica, who works closely with the apprentices. “We are giving them valuable performance experience that will hopefully get them ready to dance with the Company some day.”

The apprentice dancers will also showcase excerpts from Rennie Harris’s Reign. LWDT plans to host Studio Concerts periodically through the year featuring work by the Company and its dancers, and also by other artists.

Seating is limited.

Tickets: $20 for General Audiences and $15 for students, seniors and children.